Hijacked
by for.serious
Summary: Recently separated and pregnant Bella is following her dreams as a nurse. She loves her job. Until one patient changes that and she finds herself fighting for her life.
1. Chapter 1

She should have known that it was going to be a bad day. A no good, very awful bad day. The sun was shining through the crack in her blinds and right across her face. There was rarely a sunny day in Seattle, especially in the month of September. That was why she had relocated to the sleepless city. In hopes of avoiding the sun at all costs.

Bella had grown up in always sunny Phoenix, Arizona. Where the sun was blinding, the air was dry, and it was always obnoxiously hot. She hated it. Her skin was like porcelain and the sun just enjoyed burning her delicate skin. The dry air made her already unmanageable hair frizzy and brittle. She determined early in life that she was not made for the heat, at all.

But, unlike her, her parents adored the warm weather. So, in Arizona they stayed with their terra cotta colored home and pool in the backyard. They both retired from their careers (Renee spent 30 years as a nurse and Charlie spent 10 years as the chief of police) and spent their days enjoying it all. Soaking up the rays.

Bella moved as soon as she graduated high school. Obtaining a scholarship to the college of her choice for her exemplary academics as well as the funds her parents put aside as she was growing up made it easier for her move. Eighteen year old Bella moved to Seattle to attend the University of Washington where she obtained a bachelor's of nursing and joined the generations of nurses in her family.

So, as the sun began to rise, rudely awakening her from her peaceful slumber she had to remind herself that she loved what she did. Even if it required her to wake up at the crack of dawn. She groaned loudly as she stretched her arms above her head.

"Go away, sun," she huffed, pulling the pillow from under her head and throwing it at her window. She glanced at the clock beside her bed. The neon blue display said it was 5:15. Her alarm wasn't due to go off for another fifteen minutes.

"Stupid sun," she mumbled.

She unceremoniously rolled out of bed, nearly falling on her face as the blankets stay tangled around her. Shuffling her feet across the pale wood floor she made her way into the bathroom. Brushing her mess of brown hair out of her face she looked in the mirror, her eyes trailing down as she took note of her appearance. They stopped as she reached her protruding belly and a soft smile pulled up the corner of her lips.

Three months. She only had three months left in her pregnancy. And though it wasn't how she thought things would be when she had her first child, she couldn't bring herself to be upset about it. She was elated with her impending motherhood. That was something she didn't expect. Growing up she never thought she would be a mother. She never enjoyed being around children and never squealed with joy when a baby was brought around her like most women she knew. But, when she first saw that double pink line on the store bought pregnancy test she was immediately in love with the idea.

She didn't anticipate that she would become a single mother though. Her at the time long-term boyfriend quickly ditched the idea of fatherhood and fled as soon as he heard the news. Initially, Bella was distraught. She had no idea how she was supposed to take care of a baby on her own. But, that first ultrasound where she heard the rapid flutter of a heartbeat she was determined to make everything work.

Bella reached a hand to her stomach, slowly pulling up the blue cotton fabric of her camisole to rub her belly. She received a tiny kick in response to her touch and the small smile gracing her lips grew.

"I can't wait to meet you, little one," she whispered.

Bella showered quickly, enjoying the warmth of the spray before stepping out onto the plush bath mat. Bella would never grow old of long hot showers in the morning. She dried off before dressing in her scrubs for the day. Simple black bottoms and a navy blue top; standard attire for the emergency room nurses. It had been six months since her move to the trauma floor, but she still tried to reach for her plum colored scrubs. The signature scrubs for the oncology floor, where she used to work.

Not bothering to dry her hair, Bella pulled it up into a bun on top of her head. Off the shoulders and under control, just like her nursing school instructor advised. Even after four years Bella refused to fall into lazy ways like some of the other nurses she had worked with. Scrubs were kept wrinkle free, pants were kept level with her spotless white tennis shoes. Just like she was taught.

She made toward the kitchen in her small, two bedroom home. It was her pride and joy, a token of all her hard work. Her feet softly padded against the tile floor as she made her way into the kitchen, glancing at the clock on the stove. Five forty-five.

She had fifteen minutes before she had to leave. She took the opportunity to grab her phone from its charging spot on the counter to check her messages. Two texts and three emails.

One text was from Renee, asking her what else she needed for the baby. The new little one was going to be spoiled rotten between Bella, her parents and her best friend, Angela. And just as she suspected, the second text was from Angela letting her know she had more clothes for the little one. She chuckled lightly before moving onto the emails.

Two spam, of course. The other was from an address she hadn't seen for a long time. One that wasn't supposed to contact her. The restraining order she had put in place was supposed to deter him from contacting her. But, in recent days his attempts to contact her had gotten more persistent. Not bothering to open it she forwarded it directly to her attorney. Just as she had the other two she received in the last three days.

With a sigh she pushed off the counter she had been resting on and headed toward the front door. She slipped on her shoes before grabbing her keys from the hook beside the door.

Another day begins, she thought to herself.

The drive to the hospital was quick. Uncharacteristically so for a Thursday morning. She found herself walking into the first floor emergency room ten minutes before her shift was supposed to start. Just enough time to grab a cup of decaf coffee from the little cart parked in front of the glass double doors leading into the emergency room. Such a smart place to put a coffee stand.

Bella made her way to the back area of the floor where she typed in the code to open a door. This led her into the staff lockers and break area. She found her locker, a simple picture of her 16 week ultrasound adorned the front, and opened it. She traded her keys for her ID badge, quickly clipping it to her top. "Isabella M. Swan, RN," it read, her picture rested beside her title.

With coffee in tow she made her way onto the floor and to the nurse's station. At first glance it looked like it had been a quiet night. Most of the rooms were empty, from what she could see, and there were no screaming patients. That was always a good sign.

"Morning, Bella," a soft voice greeted from her right. Bella turned and was greeted with the cheery smile of her best friend and colleague, Angela.

Angela and Bella had met in college. They were both quiet girls, so it was just natural that they flocked toward each other. After a study session at a local bookstore, where they found out that they shared a love for classic novels, they became inseparable. They spent many a night at each other's apartments cramming for their classes and board exams. Bella and Angela were like sisters, and often times were mistaken as such. Angela's almond shaped brown eyes matched those of Bella's. When both girls wore their hair down, from behind it was hard to tell who was who as they both had long, dark mahogany colored hair. The only difference was that Angie's had a natural wave to hers, while Bella's was stick straight.

"Morning," Bella replied, "You look happy this morning."

"The sun is out," her smile grew. She knew how much her best friend hated the sunny weather, and just as she expected, Bella responded with a quiet hiss and glare.

"You're nasty," she huffed, taking a sip of her coffee. They were waiting for last night's nursing staff to give them a report of the current patients. She glanced at the large clock above the nurse's station. It was seven o'clock, any minute now.

As if on command, last night's nurses began making their way to the main hub, all looking ragged. Last night's staff consisted of five nurses and four nursing assistants. Of note were Lauren and Jessica, Angie and Bella's arch nemesis'. The two bottle blonds were the type of individuals that had no business being in the nursing career. They focused only on themselves and had no compassion of the patients. How they managed to land themselves in this field, Bella would never know, but she suspected it had something to do with the wealthy doctors that they worked with. It was no secret that Jessica and Lauren had rendezvous with the adulterous doctors in the hospital.

As everyone made their way to the huddle, Jessica caught sight of Bella and glared menacingly at her.

'So glad I don't have to deal with her today,' Bella thought to herself, dismissing Jess' stare with a role of her eyes.

The nursing manager for the day shift, Sue Clearwater, took stand, clearing her throat to get everyone's attention.

"Good morning, ladies," she addressed, smiling warmly at everyone. Sue was the epitome of a doting mother. A lot of the other nurses liked to call her Mother Duck, as she liked to take everyone under her wing, offer them advice and help whenever they needed it. Sue looked like she was ready to tackle the day. Her dark green eyes were bright and lively, and her dark, raven colored hair was pulled back into a tight, military style braid. Bella envied the flawless, light, russet colored tone to Sue's skin, a telltale sign to her Native American roots.

"Looks like the night was fairly quiet. I took the pleasure of speaking with the nursing staff already. There was a single MVA as well as a GSW. Those were the most severe cases of the evening. However, both patients have moved onto the surgical floor and we don't anticipate them coming back down here. Currently, there are a total of five patients on the floor awaiting to be seen by the on call doctors," Sue informed, she took a break to take a sip of her coffee, also purchased from the stand out front. See, such a great business idea on their part.

"Those patients have been stabilized and should be good until the doctors get in at eight. I spoke with Hillary in admitting to see what may be coming in, but it looks like the front is fairly quiet as well," she continued, "But, don't be fooled. This is often the calm before the storm. Now, please take a look at the staffing board behind you to find which rooms you will be taking over. Like usual, get a report regarding each patient. Day staff nurses, meet me here when you're done. You all know the drill."

And like that, they were released. Bella glanced up at the large white board that was perched behind the nursing station. It held all the floor's information. Doctors on call, nurses and assistants for the current shift, and what rooms they were monitoring. From the board, it looked like she would be taking over Jessica's patients.

"Beautiful," she mumbled under her breath. She looked over at Angela, who looked just as happy as Bella did. A second glance at the board told her Angela was taking over Lauren's patients.

Bella made her way to where a clearly exhausted and annoyed Jessica stood, leaning against the counter. Jessica's curly mane of hair was haphazardly thrown into a messy bun, strands of blonde hair had fallen out and were pasted to her forehead and neck with sweat.

"Rough night?" Bella grimaced. Jessica ignored her, turning and walking down to the end of the emergency room floor. The back hall would be the one Bella would take care of, where two patients were currently waiting to be seen. They made their way to the very last room in the hall.

"Room 125," Jessica started, "Male patient, forty-five years old. Came in complaining of severe back pain at approximately six-thirty. Patient stated that he fell from a ladder earlier in the evening. Pain got progressively worse. IV started, given 5mg of morphine at six-forty-five."

With that Jessica shuffled to the next room, Bella following behind.

"Room 123," Jessica began again, "Female patient, twenty-three years old. Came in at six-forty-five, dog bite wound to right hand. Has been cleaned, given 300mg of Vicodin for pain, awaiting to be seen by doctor."

Bella nodded in response, taking the last sip of her coffee before turning to toss it in the trash and make her way back to the nursing station. She didn't bother to say goodbye to Jessica, knowing it would have only been met with a snide remark.

Angela had beat her there and was in deep conversation with Sue. Looked like something serious by the expression on both of their faces. Brows furrowed, eyes tense.

"Whatcha talkin' about?" Bella asked, leaning over the front counter and grabbing a pager from in front of Sue. Both women snapped out of it, smiles replacing their previous frowns.

"Nothing," both women responded at the same time. Too fast. Bella knew immediately they were talking about her.

With a quirk of her brow Bella looked at them questioningly. Angela looked to Sue, and Sue to Angela, their frowns returning.

"Spill," she ordered, knowing both wouldn't be able to keep anything from her. "Better to just tell me now, you know I'll find out either way."

With a huff of resignation, Angela turned to Bella.

"Okay, don't get mad at me," she began, "I don't typically go telling people about your personal life. But, after you were telling me the other night about how you-know-who had attempted to contact you again, I just thought it would be best to let Sue know. Just in case."

Bella sighed, closing her eyes, she should have known this was coming. Angela was always an anxious person. "Plan for the worst, hope for the best," she had always said.

"She was just looking out for you," Sue added, "You can't fault her for that. Not with the history."

"I'm not mad," Bella responded. "I just don't think it's anything to worry about. The restraining order is in place, he knows not to come within 10 yards of this hospital, or something like that."

"He's crazy, Bells," Angela interrupted. "I wouldn't put anything past him."

Bella rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I know he's crazy. He made that much clear when he was convinced we were married," she muttered, beginning to get irritated. "I was just hoping that that part of my life was over and I was moving on from it."

It had been nearly six months since the restraining order had been put in place. But, to Bella it still felt like yesterday.

 _She had just started her shift on that sunny March morning. The oncology floor was quiet, patients were just beginning to wake up as breakfast was being brought through the halls._

 _Bella loved her work there on the eighth floor. It had been her dream to work the oncology floor after her beloved and cherished Grandma Marie was diagnosed with breast cancer. After she passed five months after her diagnosis when Bella was 16 her goal was to become an oncology nurse._

 _She had finally made it, and she didn't regret her decision at all. Working on the oncology floor wasn't for the faint of heart. There were many days when Bella wondered why she put herself through the heartbreak when another beloved patient passed away from the horrors of cancer. But, the patients were also what made her continue. They were the most kind hearted, giving individuals she would meet. And she did everything in her power to make sure they were taken care of and comfortable._

 _So, as she made her way into work that day, a bright smile adorning her face, she never suspected that it would be the last day for her on that floor._

 _Making her way to the nurses station she noticed a large display of elegant red roses in a crystal vase. The flowers were over the top, almost completely blocking the view of the floor's receptionist, Julie. It wasn't unusual for a patient's loved ones to send them flowers or other gifts during their stay, but this was the most extravagant bunch of roses she had seen._

 _"Those are beautiful," she commented, peeking her way around them to see Julie typing away at her keys before looking up. Immediately, her eyes brightened and she smiled, clearly excited._

 _"Apparently, you've got a secret admirer!" she sang, "These are for you."_

 _"What?" Bella asked, shocked._

 _"Yeah, they were dropped off just before you came in," she continued._

 _Bella reached a hand out to touch the delicate flowers. A foreboding feeling settled deep in her stomach. She wasn't sure why, but she knew the flowers weren't good. She plucked the beige envelope from its spot in the bouquet. Opening it, she gasped._

 _"To My Love,_

 _You looked absolutely divine last night in your bed. That purple silk looks amazing_  
 _against your skin. I couldn't bear to wake you. I hope you have a fabulous day at work. Save them, like you saved me._

 _With love, from your husband,_  
 _James"_

 _The letter fell from her hands as Bella began to visibly shake. It had gone too far. She thought that she had been clear from the very beginning that she wanted nothing to do with him. It had been nothing more than her being kind to a patient in need, but he had twisted everything in his incredibly disturbed mind._

 _It had started with little comments of him professing his love to her while she was taking care of him. So, she had asked to be taken off his care. Then he tracked her down on various social media websites like Facebook and Instagram. She had promptly blocked him. Then he managed to find her email, but she had just deleted those as soon as they came in. Hoping he would get the hint that she wasn't interested. But, apparently that didn't work._

 _He had been in her house. Her stomach dropped and she began to feel faint, nausea beginning to take over._

 _"Bella, are you okay?" Julie questioned, worried._

 _"I...I need to talk to administration," Bella managed to get out before running behind the counter to the nearest trashcan and emptying the contents of her stomach._

That had been the beginning of the end of Bella's career on the oncology floor. And the beginning of the most trying time in her life. Hospital administration immediately launched an investigation on Bella. They assured her it was to make sure there wasn't any breach of communication and confusion that may have led to James' stalking of her. To her, at times, it was as if they believed the things James was saying, especially because of the timing of her pregnancy. Despite what she said, they still investigated her and everyone else that had worked on James' case.

In the end, Bella left the oncology floor to work with Angela in the ER. The hospital profusely apologized, but explained that it was protocol. A complete, top of the line security system was installed in her house, compliments of her parents. And a no-contact order was placed against James and he was given 120 days of community service for his gross-misdemeanor. For Bella, that was enough. She just wanted to put it all behind her.

"I'm sorry, Bella," Angela said, bringing her back to the present. "I know you want it to be over, but it clearly isn't. And I don't think he's going to stop until something more is done."

It was no secret that Angela thought James had been let off easy for what he had done. Especially after she found out that he had gone as far as to breaking into her house. But, in typical Bella fashion, she tried to see the best in everyone and just wanted things to go back to how they were.

"I'm with Angie, hun," Sue added, reaching a hand out to stroke Bella's arm. "He clearly has some issues if he is still trying to contact you after everything that has happened."

Bella sighed loudly, closing her eyes and rubbing her temples. She could feel a headache coming on.

"I know," she replied, "But what can we even do? I already forwarded his emails to my attorney. He hasn't come into direct contact with me."

"We can let security know, just in case," Sue answered, "We'll have someone escort you to and from your vehicle as well."

'Just great,' Bella thought to herself, 'I have to be babysat. Perfect.'

She nodded her head in defeat.

"Fine. I'm going to go check on my patients," she dismissed herself, turning on her heel and heading toward her rooms. She knew they wouldn't need to be checked on until the doctors were in, but she used it as an excuse anyway.

Just as she was rounding the corner into the back hall, the door to the staff breakroom opened at the same time. Her pregnant belly collided with the person on the other side, causing her to bounce back a few steps and trip on her own feet. Successfully bringing her to the ground in a rush of flailing limbs before she settled on her back, avoiding landing on her stomach at all costs.

"My day couldn't get any worse," she grumbled as she laid there on the hospital floor, eyes closed tightly.

"Shit, I'm so sorry," an unfamiliar male voice sounded from above her. Her eyes shot open and she was met with bright, emerald green eyes full of concern. He was on his knees, hovering over her.

"Are you hurt at all?" he asked as he pulled a small flashlight from his left breast pocket of his white coat.

'Ahh, a doctor,' Bella thought to herself.

He immediately went into doctor mode, flashing the light into her eyes to check her pupils. She pushed his hand away before sitting up, which proved to be a feat with her pregnant belly in the way.

"Other than a bruised ego, I'm fine," she answered in a huff. Knowing there would be no way she could get up off the floor on her own she reached a hand out to him. "Think you can help me up?"

He seemed surprised by her forwardness and stared dumbly at her. After a few moments Bella decided she wasn't going to wait for him.

"Or not, that works too," she glared, working her way onto all fours and then one knee as she attempted to get herself up on her own.

"Fuck, sorry," he said in a rush, quickly getting up. One hand grabbed ahold of one of her own and the other rested on the small of her back as he helped her up.

Bella brushed off her scrubs as best as she could before looking up at the man that had knocked her over. It was then that she took in his appearance, and she immediately became self-conscious. He was tall, much taller than her average 5'5" frame. He had a mess of bronze colored hair that looked like he had attempted to tame, giving him a just-sexed look. His jawline was sharp, stubble lined the edges, like he had forgotten to shave, giving him a rugged appearance. He was fit, you could tell even through his pale blue button up and black slacks that he took care of himself.

She hoped profusely that she hadn't made a complete ass of herself. Of course it would be her that got taken out by Mr. Hottie-Pants. She took the opportunity to glance at his hospital mandated ID badge. "Edward A. Cullen, MD," it read.

"Are you new here?" she blurted out in true Bella fashion, foregoing any normal introduction.  
He chuckled, smiling at her.

"Yes, actually," he answered.

Bella nodded, smiling shyly at him. He extended a hand out to her.

"Let's try this again," he started as she reached out to shake his hand. "Edward Cullen, new ER doc."

"Bella Swan, existing ER nurse," she laughed. "That was a much better introduction than being knocked on my ass."

His eyes widened at her use of the profanity.

She quirked an eyebrow at him. "Oh, please," she laughed, "Don't go all 'O-M-G, she said ass', on me. I'm pretty sure you said 'shit' and 'fuck' five minutes ago."

He chuckled heartily at that, his deep, contagious laugh causing Bella's smile to widen.

"It was nice to meet you, Edward. But, I've got some patients to check on. I hope to see you around, just next time, don't knock me on my ass," she joked. She walked passed him, leaving him there as he laughed and shook his head, a look of shock on his face once again.


	2. Chapter 2

'Smooth move, fool,' Edward berated himself, shaking his head and running a hand through his hair as he watched the brunette nurse, he now knew as Bella, disappear down the hallway. Leave it to him to knock a pregnant nurse on his first day at the hospital.

'She was beautiful too,' his subconscious chimed. He refused to acknowledge the natural beauty of the woman he had taken out with a door. She was expecting and likely in a relationship. This just added to his embarrassment. As if being the new doctor on the floor wasn't nerve wracking enough.

Edward Cullen had just made the trek across country back to his home state of Washington. He had previously made himself at home in Boston, where he had attended medical school, before he decided to come back home. There was something about the rain that just drew him back here. That and family. His younger sister could be very persuasive. So he compromised and took up residency in Seattle.

He had grown up in a little town northwest of Seattle, called Forks. His parents were well known in the small town and the family had built themselves quite a presence. His father, Carlisle Cullen, was surgical chief of the hospital. His mother, Esme, a proud homemaker, hosted many a charity gala at their expansive, white columned home. Their three children were brought up to be respectful young adults that were to make a difference in the world. Edward's older brother opened up his own development firm with real estate across the country, much of it geared toward affordable senior living. His younger sister, Alice, was a world renowned clothing designer with her own franchise of secondhand clothing stores geared toward teens littered along the west coast. Leaving Edward to follow in the footsteps of his father.

After having just been back in the state a week, Edward was jumping right back into the hospital life. His apartment, much to his mother's and sister's dismay, was still a wreck with moving boxes haphazardly placed everywhere. But, there was no time to pack when, like his father, he thrived on his work. It was what made him happiest. At 32 years old, Edward didn't have family of his own to come home to. His job was it.

Scanning the hallways Edward looked for any signs that would tell him where the hell he needed to go to get a rundown of the morning's patients. It seemed as though every floor was built differently in this hospital, so despite the endless training, this floor's layout was new. If he had been able to pull his head out of his ass he would have asked Bella for some guidance.

Making his way toward what seemed to be the central hub of the emergency room floor Edward immediately identified the nursing manager. Edward knew his key to success was the nurses. He made an effort to befriend the nurses, knowing building a relationship with them would make everyone's lives easier. A fact that some, holier-than-thou, doctors had yet to realize. Y'know how they say "happy wife, happy life", in a hospital setting nurses fill that wife roll.

"Excuse me, ma'am," Edward called out, trying to grab the woman's attention. He glanced at the badge, noting her name. She glanced up from the stack of paperwork laid out in front of her, smiling warmly at him.

"Dr. Cullen, I presume," she muttered. Of course, word of a new doctor got around fast. Edward returned a friendly smile.

"Yes, ma'am," he responded, reaching out a hand to shake. She met his and they exchanged a friendly greeting.

"Sue, if I may," he added, "Could you point me in the direction of my patients?"

With a small chuckle, Sue nodded her head, giving him a little, amused eye roll in response.

"Of course, young'un," she replied, nodding her head to her right. "Follow me."

Turning on her heal she led him to the large white board behind her, names and room numbers scribbled across it. She showed him a row of clipboards filed in front of it in columns, each column labeled with a number.

"Alright, doc," she instructed, pointing to the board she found his last name. "You are here, follow over to your number," she continued, guiding him through the process. "Looks like you are lucky doctor number three. All charts behind three are yours."

"Great, thank you so much," he offered. "I owe you."

"Anytime, kid," Sue smiled, turning to go back to her own work.

'Let's see what we're working with,' Edward thought to himself, grabbing his two charts for the day. He thumbed through the patients' records.

'Back injury and dog bite,' he noted. Should be easy enough. Tucking his charts under his arm he headed to treat his patients and start the day.

Edward didn't notice that he was headed back in the direction of where he ran into Bella. It wasn't until he caught a glimpse of the back of her head, entering the room he was just about to head into, that he pulled the charts back out. He noted the last name of the nurse on call. Swan.

He laughed at himself, rolling his eyes at his luck. First he knocks the poor mom-to-be on her ass, now he is probably going to make a fool of himself with her and the patients. Typical first day.

Edward made his way to the room, knocking on the frame to make his presence known. Walking in he noted Bella typing away at the rolling desk and their eyes met. Hers lit up with amusement and she shook her head infinitesimally, a smile playing at the edge of her lips.

"Good morning," Edward greeted. "I'm Dr. Cullen. Looks like you're having some back pain?"

The patient groaned in response, not even opening his eyes. Likely a side effect to the morphine he was given. Edward looked to Bella expectantly, knowing she would give him a rundown.

As if on que, Bella opened her mouth, "Patient presented this morning with severe back pain after a fall from a ladder. Patient noted a 10/10 on the pain scale. Per Dr. Cope's orders 5mg of morphine was administered while we awaited further work up. Patient's initial BP was 134/92, has since dropped to 123/84. Patient has history of disc herniation following an MVA in 2013, multiple disc replacements, as well as a history of uncontrolled hypertension." Bella continued, not missing a beat. "Only known drug allergy is to penicillin. Last imaging was an x-ray of the hand following a slip and fall six months ago."

Edward nodded his head, taking in what she was saying and coming up with the best course of action.

"Alright, let's order an MRI of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine. Monitor pain and administer morphine at current dose every three hours as needed. Let me know when imaging is complete and we'll go from there."

Bella's fingers moved furiously across the keys as Edward spoke, likely noting the projected treatment plan.

"I assume you're working room 123 as well," Edward commented, waiting for Bella to finish.

Once done she looked up, a playful smile adorning her face.

"Looks like today is your lucky day, Dr. Cullen," she quipped, playfully. "The best nurse on the floor on your first day, how could one be so lucky?"

Edward followed her as she made her way into the hall, he laughed loudly.

"I'm not sure, Miss Swan," he winked. "But, whoever arranged this greatness, I owe them coffee."

Bella rolled her eyes what seemed like the hundredth time. "Seems like you already know coffee is gold around here."

"Looks like it's a trend in most hospitals." He followed her into the next room where she was already greeting their next patient.

"Good morning," she beamed, "My name is Bella and I'll be your nurse for today. And this is Dr. Cullen."

"Good morning," Edward nodded, smiling warmly at the girl. She returned his warm smile with a mischievous one.

He did not like the way she looked him up and down. Edward wasn't oblivious to his good looks, but preferred to keep it strictly professional. Except with the older ladies that loved to flirt playfully, he followed their lead and flirted back. Only harmless fun. He noted the patient's age, 23. She was biting her lip now as she ogled him unabashed.

'Oh god,' Edward thought to himself. 'Figures, with the way this day is going.'

He cleared his throat uncomfortably, looking at Bella. She clearly was enjoying the exchange and was fighting back her laughter. Edward glared at her.

"Miss Denali," Bella quickly started, "Presented with a dog bite wound to the right hand. Wound has since been flushed for further assessment. Miss Denali was experiencing significant pain, noted a 8/10 on the pain scale. Doctor on call prescribed 300mg of Vicodin. Current BP is 117/65, no known drug allergies."

Edward nodded, moving to grab a pair of gloves from the case on the wall.

"Mind if I take a look?" he asked, reaching out for the patient's hand.

"Not at all," Miss Denali sweetly replied, eagerly placing her hand in Edward's. "Feel free to look as closely as you'd like."

Apparently that was too much for Bella and a small laugh managed to escape, which she tried to pass off as a cough. Edward's eyes snapped to hers in playful irritation. Of course she would get a kick out of this.

Edward looked over the wounds on his patient's hand, noting the shallow punctures. Not much needed to be done, fortunately, and he made a note to get Miss Denali discharged as quickly as possible.

"Alright, Miss Denali," Edward started.

"Oh, just call me Tanya," she interrupted, smiling suggestively at him.

"Tanya," Edward corrected himself. He tried to mask his discomfort with a friendly smile, but it looked more like a grimace.

"Fortunately, these are puncture wounds," he continued explaining his plan, "I'd like to get an x-ray just to make sure that there are no bone fragments or debris in the wounds. We like to let these heal from the inside out, so stitches will not be needed. I will prescribe you some antibiotics to reduce the risk of infection. I recommend ibuprofen or other over the counter pain relievers for any pain or swelling. Bella will be happy, I'm sure, to go over the proper wound care for the next two weeks."

Edward smiled, excusing himself from the room, "It was a pleasure meeting you, Tanya."

Bella was right on his heel as he exited the room, closing the door behind them. She laughed openly now.

"Do you get that often?" she asked. Shaking her head as she laughed.

Edward huffed in mock irritation. Her laughter was contagious though and it wasn't long before a chuckle escaped.

"More than I'd like," he answered, turning to look at her. He took more of her appearance in as she worked diligently at the rolling computer she pushed around with her from room to room. She was glowing, as they tend to say with pregnant women. Her happiness shined and her brown eyes were lively. She was naturally beautiful with her flushed cheeks and full lips. Her dark chestnut colored hair and slender frame, minus the protruding belly.

"How far along?" Edward interrupted his own ogling and met her curious eyes. 'She, she caught me,' he thought.

"Six months," she replied, the most beautiful smile spread across her face as she reached a hand down to stroke her stomach. She didn't call him out on his staring. Edward was grateful.

"Wow, not much longer," Edward added. "You and the father-to-be must be excited."

He watched as her brow furrowed and her smile dropped slightly. But, she recovered quickly and looked up at him.

"No, the father-to-be is not in the picture," she continued, "Just me and little peanut."

Edward returned her smile, admiring her for what he was sure wasn't an easy situation, though he didn't pretend to know all the details. He was about to comment when a terrified gasp came from Bella and he met her eyes.

All life was gone and she seemed to be staring just past him, the color drained from her face and her entire frame shaking. Panic lurched through his veins as he took in her appearance now, she looked like she was about to collapse. His head snapped around to find the source of her apparent fear.

Edward was met with the iciest blue eyes he had encountered as a tall, blonde man stood at the other end of the hallway, staring menacingly at Bella.

"James," Bella squeaked, and Edward turned back to her and watched as she began to collapse.

"Shit, fuck," Edward grunted, reaching out to catch her just before she hit the floor, taking them both down. And for the second time that day Edward found himself with a downed Swan in his presence.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Thank you for the reviews, favorites, and follows. I truly appreciate it. Shout out to swrites for being the beta to this story.**

 **I just want to give a little forewarning, t** **his story is rated M for dark themes, so be prepared. I promise past all the angst there will be happiness, but be patient.**

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" _Bella, Bella," a deep voice called out. "Open your eyes, hun."_

She could feel the cool linoleum of the floor on her legs, but she could tell she was propped up in someone's arms. Her eyes were heavy and she was trapped in her subconscious.

" _What happened?" she immediately knew Angela's voice. She felts a hand on her thigh, shaking her gently. "Bells, come on."_

" _I don't know," the deep voice responded. The voice was new, but familiar. Edward, she realized. "She saw some man at the end of the hall and just collapsed."_

" _What man?" Angela's voice immediately went up in concern. "Did she say a name?"_

" _James," Edward answered._

At the name Bella's eyes flew open and her heart began to race in panic. Her eyes shot around and she tried to climb out of Edward's lap to look behind him. Looking for the ice blue eyes she had seen at the end of the hall not too long ago. Bella's breathing was coming in short, labored gasps as the panic began to bubble up into her chest and take over again.

"Shit, Bella," Edward groaned as she maneuvered around in his lap. "Let me help you."

Edward managed to stand, pulling her up with him, he rested both of his hands on her shoulders, trying to hold her up.

"What is going on?" he asked Angela, concern lacing his voice.

"He was here," Bella was finally able to squeak out. Her eyes continued to scan the hall before landing on Angela's. "Ang, he was here."

The tears began to fall and the ice cold panic flew through her veins again. She felt like she couldn't breathe and her hands flew to her chest, hoping to pull the weight off her so she could breathe easier.

"Fuck, she's having panic attack," Edward cursed under his breath. They were creating quite a scene in the hall and other nurses and patients were stopped, staring.

"Take her in that room," Angela instructed, pointing to a room behind them. "Don't let her out of your sight. I need to go get Sue and security. Do not let her out of your sight, I'm serious."

Bella couldn't see behind the tears, but she could feel Edward guiding her into the nearest room and onto the bed. She still couldn't catch her breath and was beginning to see stars as the room began to spin. She felt Edward's hands on her shoulders again.

"Bella," he whispered calmly. "I need you to take slow, deep breaths for me."

Despite his request Bella's breathing stayed the same. The weight on her chest refusing to lessen. She could feel Edward's hand on her back now, rubbing slow circles.

"Bells," he continued, "Deep breaths. You're safe, I'm here, no one will hurt you. I don't want to have to give you and the baby anything."

Bella fought to get control of her breathing, and slowly she managed to calm down. Edward's soothing hand never stopping his calming circles.

"There we go," he smiled as her breathing slowed down.

Bella reached a hand up to wipe her eyes. She looked shyly up at him, embarrassed that he had just witnessed her have a full blown panic attack.

"Thank you," she whispered sheepishly, her voice cracking.

He smiled warmly down at her. "Let me get you some water."

Bella watched as he stood, heading to the sink in the room and grabbing her a cup of water.

"Here," he offered, sitting back on the bed.

Bella sipped from the cup, relishing the coolness the water provided. Setting the cup on the bedside table she crawled further onto the bed. She laid on her side, tucking her legs up as she protectively hugged her stomach. She took deep breaths as she came to terms with what had just happened.

James was here. In the hospital. And he had seen her. She recalled the menacing, cold look in his eyes, and the anger that was burning behind them. Just the thought caused her blood to run cold again and her breathing sped up. She felt a hand on her leg and jumped.

"Woah, it's just me," Edward's voice brought her back to reality and she breathed a sigh of relief. She looked up and Edward was holding both his hands up in surrender.

"Sorry," she muttered, embarrassed.

Edward had perched himself in a nearby chair now as he smiled kindly at her.

"So," he started, trying to lighten the mood, "That was fun. Guess it was your turn to knock me on my ass"

Bella rolled her eyes, laughing quietly. "Karma is a bitch."

"Yeah, yeah," he chuckled, shaking his head.

Both of their heads shot to the door as they heard it open. Bella noticing how Edward placed himself protectively in front of her. But, it was just Sue.

Sue made her way to Bella, worry etched across her face. She grabbed both of Bella's hands and squeezed gently. She reached up to brush a stray hair of Bella's out of her face. Her obvious motherly instincts kicking in.

"Security is searching for him," she began, "They have no idea how he made it into the hospital."

Bella looked up at her and answered. "He doesn't look the same, Sue."

She watched as Sue's brow quirked up, urging her to continue. Bella pulled her hands from Sue's and sat up in the bed again. She noted Edward perched near the door, watching her with an intrigued eye, she was sure expecting an explanation as well.

With a deep breath she continued.

"He cut his hair. It's short, military style now. And he is dressed differently. You know how it was tattered jeans and stained shirts? Well, he was dressed professionally. Slacks, button up and a tie. And he looks stronger, like he has been working out. I almost didn't recognize him…."

She looked up now, tears threatening to spill over as she recalled the most chilling aspect of his appearance.

"Except his eyes," she whispered, "His eyes are colder. And angry. So angry."

At that Sue pulled her in for a hug, squeezing her hard.

"Bells," she whispered in her ear. "He isn't going to hurt you."

She heard Edward clear his throat and both women pulled away to look at him.

"I don't mean to pry," he started, "But who is this guy?"

Sue looked to Bella, silently asking for permission to explain. Bella nodded, she had just had a meltdown in front of the man, she kind of owed him an explanation.

"He's an ex-patient of Bella's," Sue began, taking a seat beside Bella. "Up on the oncology floor. He ended up developing some feelings toward her. Some type of transference of feelings onto her. He had himself convinced they were married. Going as far as sneaking into her house while she was asleep."

Bella watched as Edward's eyes widened with shock and flashed with anger.

"The authorities have been involved, correct?" he growled.

"We've done everything," Bella answered quietly. "Massive security system at my home, restraining order, increased security in the hospital. I even switched floors."

Edward nodded, apparently taking that as a reasonable answer.

"I don't know what else to do," Bella whispered, rubbing her forehead. She was beginning to get a headache from the day's events.

"Angela has security handled," Sue laughed, "She is a little pissed that he got in. So, she's barking orders."

Bella smiled at the picture. She knew she could always count on her best friend.

"I should probably go check on everything," Sue said as she stood. "Stay here, I've got both of your patient's handled."

Making her way to the door Sue stopped in front of Edward.

"Don't let her out of your sight, doc," she instructed sternly. "Don't let anyone in here either."

Edward nodded. "I won't."

Bella folded her arms in front of her and huffed in annoyance.

"I'm not a child," she called out, earning an eye roll from both of them.

"Yeah, yeah," Edward huffed, opening the door for Sue and making sure it was closed tightly behind her. Bella watched as he made his way to her and reached out to her face, brushing another stray hair from her face.

Bella looked at him curiously and he just shrugged his shoulders before slumping into the nearby chair.

"So, since we are on lockdown in this room," he laughed, "And apparently I am now in charge of protecting you, I should probably know who I'm protecting. I mean, other than the hot headed, stubborn and foul-mouthed pregnant nurse."

Bella glared at him, feigning annoyance.

"Oh, come on," he defended, holding his hands up, "You are foul-mouthed."

"Ha!" she laughed. "Says the doctor that has said more curse words than I've heard non-curse words from him."

"Hey now, we're talking about you," he chuckled. "I never said I wasn't equally foul-mouthed.

She rolled her eyes at him.

"Y'know, you do that a lot," he noted.

"What?" she asked.

"Roll your eyes."

"Yeah, well, you earn the eye rolls."

Shaking his head, he continued, "So, tell me more about you, foul-mouthed Bella."

Sitting back on the bed she made herself comfortable before starting in on her life story.

"Well," she began, "I was born and raised in Arizona. I moved up here to go to school and never left. What else do you want to know?"

Edward leaned back in his chair and rested his feet on the edge of Bella's bed.

"Why did you leave Arizona?" he questioned curiously.

Bella shrugged. "I hate the sun."

He nodded, taking that as a reasonable answer. "Washington is perfect then."

"Mmhm," Bella hummed. "Are you from around here?"

"Washington native," he stated proudly. "Except I grew up in a little town called Forks."

"Oh, yeah," she interrupted, "I've been there. For work. There was a fundraising gala our unit attended up there at a beautiful house."

Edward chuckled in amusement.

"What?" Bella questioned, her brow furrowing in confusion.

"You likely attended a gala my parents hosted," he remarked. "They're known for hosting many medical fundraising functions at their house."

"Small world," Bella stated. Edward nodded his head in agreement.

"How long have you been at this hospital?" Edward questioned, curiously.

Just as she was about to answer they heard a crash in the hallway causing Bella to jump and Edward to shoot up out of his chair, again placing himself protectively in front of her. The panic began to bubble again as Bella's eyes darted to the door, where fighting was clearly going on out there. Bella strained her ears to hear what was going on.

"What the hell," Edward growled, making his way to the door.

Just as he was about to open it Angela's poked her head in, clearly frazzled. She smiled briefly at Bella then looked at Edward.

"Hey, sorry," she explained, "Unruly patient. We could really use your help, Edward."

Edward nodded then looked between Bella and Angela.

"Put the chair in front of the door, Bells," Edward ordered. "Don't let anyone in."

"Okay," Bella squeaked, trying to hide her panic. The commotion down the hall got louder, causing her to jump out of bed and grab the chair. "Alright, go."

Edward reached a hand out to her again, stroking her face comfortingly.

"I'll be right back," he whispered, closing the door behind him. Bella quickly positioned the back of the chair under the handle, preventing anyone from entering the room, and ran back to the bed.

She tried to keep the panic at bay, knowing someone would be back quickly. Having a disorderly patient was normal for the emergency room floor. A regular occurrence.

"Quit freaking out," she muttered to herself, closing her eyes and resting a hand on her belly. She silently reminded herself to take deep breaths. But, her calming efforts were quickly pointless as she heard the click of the room's bathroom door.

She opened her eyes and again she was met with the dark, cold eyes of James. No one had checked their room.

Just as she was about to scream James flashed the small handgun he was holding before tucking it into the front band of his pants.

"Don't make a sound," he growled, making his way closer to the bed.

Bella tucked her legs up, wrapping her arms around them she refused to take her eyes off James. He inched his way closer, reaching out to her. Bella instinctively pulled away, a tiny squeak of fear escaped her lips.

At the appalled sound James looked at her disgustingly and in an instant he had reared his hand back, making contact with the side of her face. The force of his hand sent Bella back further on the bed and the sting caused tears to flow.

James took Bella's unguarded position to his advantage as he grabbed the top of the bun on top of her head, pulling back harshly. Bella hissed in pain as her head was yanked back. James' breath was hot on her neck as he held her there. One of his hands reached down and stroked her stomach. Bella could taste the bile at the back of her throat.

"Oh how I've missed you," he purred, his hand making his ascent up her belly and to her face. He turned her face to his and forced his lips on hers. Instinctively, Bella took one of his lips between her teeth and bit down, hoping this would get him off her.

The move worked briefly as James pulled back and growled in anger. But, he didn't release her, instead he held onto her hair tighter as he ripped her up from the bed and onto her feet. Knowing she needed to protect herself and do anything to get out of his hands she began to thrash. She reached one of her hands out, scraping her nails across his face.

"You want to play like that," he hissed, furious, as he threw her onto the floor.

Bella reached her arms out, breaking her fall as she collided with a loud thump. She tried to scramble to her feel, but didn't have time to recover before James reached for her again, this time hitting her face with a closed fist. She felt her head ripped back again as he yanked her up again, grabbing her right arm and twisting it painfully. She gritted her teeth, trying not to give him the pleasure of hearing her scream in pain.

He pulled her against him and whispered in her ear.

"Quit playing games, Bella," he sneered, "We don't have much time before they come back. The distraction worked well."

Bella's eyes widened. The commotion in the hall. It was all part of his plan.

"Now, we can do this the easy way," he remarked, "Or we can do this the hard way."

He released his grip on her arm, but pulled tighter on her hair. She could feel him grab for the gun between them, and he breath caught in her throat as she felt the barrel of the gun on her stomach.

"Like I said, easy or hard, your choice," he sneered, amusement lacing his voice. "You come with me and the baby doesn't get harmed. Put up another fight and I'll make sure _our_ baby dies."

Bella gulped loudly as tears ran down her face. She knew she had no other choice. She would do anything for her unborn child. Taking a deep breath, she tried to muster all her courage and stand determined. Knowing she wasn't going to get out of this.

"Fine," she whispered, defeated.

At that, James released his hold on her head.

"Good choice," he muttered. He reached for her wrist, grasping it tightly. "We need to get out of here."

He pulled her to the door before letting her go. He reached for her hair again, this time pulling the hair tie and letting her hair fall down around her face in waves.

"We need to change your look," he answered Bella's confused stare.

"Go grab that blanket," he barked, "Wrap it around yourself."

Bella didn't hesitate, noting the way he used the gun as an extension of his own hand, pointing at things.

Making her way to the bed she pulled the top blanket off, wrapping it around her shoulders as she made her way back to the bed.

"Perfect," he smiled. He fixed her hair around her face and wiped the tears from her eyes. The coolness of his skin reminded Bella of her throbbing face and she winced.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, looking genuinely apologetic. He kissed her forehead and Bella had to fight back her disgust. "You know how I can be though. We'll fix you up when we get home."

He pulled the chair back, sneaking a hand between Bella and the blanket. She could feel the gun resting against the small of her back. James pulled the door back and urged Bella forward quietly. As the door closed behind them he pulled her to him, holding her tightly.

"Put your head down and don't make a sound," he growled in her ear. Bella obliged, not looking up as they made their way through the familiar hospital halls. She was shocked at how not a single person stopped them as he ushered her along.

 _Did no one pay attention? Didn't they know that he was in the hospital? Wasn't security supposed to be looking for him?_

As if he could hear her thoughts, James opened his mouth. "A little tip said they saw him on Oncology."

Bella slumped, defeated.

They just made it to the garage, Bella could tell from the rush of cool air against her face as another door opened. He pulled the blanket off her, discarding it in the nearest trash as he escorted her to a nearby black utility van.

"Get in," he ordered, opening the back of the van. "And lay down."

Bella obeyed, crawling into the back of the van. The cold metal dug into her knees as she made her way as far from him as she could. There were no seats and it was completely empty.

She looked up, meeting James' gaze. He was looking at her with a sickening glare in his eyes as he licked his lips. Bella wanted to vomit.

"I can't wait to get you home," he sneered, slamming the door closed.

A quiet sob escaped as Bella leaned against the side of the van. She could hear James get into the driver's seat and with the roar of the car's engine they were off, tires squealing against the pavement. She tried to hold herself up as they left the safety of the hospital.

Bella reached her hands down to either side of her stomach, rubbing it gently, she silently begged the baby to kick. She didn't have to wait long before she felt a faint thump against her hand. She sighed in relief.

"I promise we will get out of this, little one," she whispered quietly. "I love you."

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 **AN: I will try to write weekly, more often if I can. But, my life is unpredictable with animal rescue/work and the like. So, I'm sorry if there is a delay in an update. Don't worry, swrites is already on my ass to start the next chapter. So, at least she's around to keep me in check. ;)**


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